Aesir

Aesir
/ay"sir, ay"zir/, n. (often l.c.) (used with a pl. v.) Scand. Myth.
the principal race of gods, led by Odin and living at Asgard. Cf. Vanir.
[ < ON, pl. of ass god; c. OE os god, Os- in proper names (as Oswald), OHG Ans- in proper names (as Anselm); akin to Skt asura lord]

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In Germanic religion, one of the two main groups of deities, the other being the Vanir.

Odin, his wife Frigg, Tyr (the god of war), and Thor were the four Aesir common to the Germanic nations. Balder and Loki were considered Aesir by other peoples. The Aesir were a warlike race and were originally dominant over the Vanir, but after numerous defeats in battle they were forced to grant the Vanir equal status. The poet-god Kvasir was born out of the peace ritual in which the two races mingled their saliva in the same vessel.

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▪ Scandinavian mythology
Old Norse  Æsir , singular  Áss 

      in Scandinavian mythology, either of two main groups of deities, four of whom were common to the Germanic nations: Odin (q.v.), chief of the Aesir; Frigg (q.v.), Odin's wife; Tyr (q.v.), god of war; and Thor (q.v.), whose name was the Teutonic word for thunder. Some of the other important Aesir were Balder, Jörd, Heimdall, and Loki (qq.v.).

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • AEsir — [AE] sir, n. pl. [Icel., pl. of [=a]ss god.] In the old Norse mythology, the gods Odin, Thor, Loki, Balder, Frigg, and the others. Their home was called Asgard. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Aesir — chief gods of Scandinavian religion, from Old Norse plural of ass god, related to O.E. os, Goth. ans god (see ASGARD (Cf. Asgard)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • Aesir — [a′sir΄, ē′sir΄, ā′sir΄] pl.n. [ON, pl. of ass, a god, akin to OE os: see OSCAR1] Norse Myth. the principal gods and goddesses, including Odin, Thor, Balder, Loki, Frigg, and Tyr …   English World dictionary

  • Aesir —    In Nordic myth the group of leaders forming the entourage of Odin. Originally there seems to have been a coven of a chief with a retinue of twelve and it may be assumed that, of the sixteen names listed below, never more than a dozen were… …   Who’s Who in non-classical mythology

  • Aesir — (ou Ase signifiant Dieu) Ce sont des guerriers divins vivant à Asgard. Ils s’opposent aux Vanirs, une race aînée de Dieux bien qu’ils soient parfois assimilés aux Aesirs. On trouve parmi pour les hommes, avec Odin à leur tête, Balder, Bragi,… …   Mythologie nordique

  • Aesir — noun plural Etymology: Old Norse Æsir, plural of āss god the principal race of Norse gods …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Aesir — Ases Pour les articles homonymes, voir ASE. Odin, Ase majeur, chevauchant Sleipnir Dans la mythologie …   Wikipédia en Français

  • aesir — noun The chief gods of pagan Scandinavia …   Wiktionary

  • aesir — ae·sir …   English syllables

  • Aesir — Ae•sir [[t]ˈeɪ sɪr, ˈeɪ zɪr[/t]] n. (used with a pl. v.) myt the principal race of Norse gods, led by Odin and living at Asgard …   From formal English to slang

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